Detection of Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses using single-reaction multiplex real-time RT-PCR

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018 Dec;92(4):284-287. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2018.06.019. Epub 2018 Jun 28.

Abstract

Zika (ZIKV), Dengue (DENV) and Chikungunya viruses (CHIKV) co-circulate in the same geographical areas during the same seasonal period through the same biting arthropods. Therefore a rapid sensitive and specific molecular assay for these viruses would be a considerable help in the disease management and the epidemiological survey. We developed a one-step multiplex real-time PCR for the simultaneous detection of these viruses. Intra and inter-reproducibilities varied from 0.41% to 3.29% and from 1.13% to 4.93% for each virus respectively. The specificity was 100%. Whole blood, plasma and urines were used for comparison with commercially available monoplex assays (RealStar® kits, Altona Diagnostics GmbH, Hamburg, Germany). The concordance was 96%, 92.9% and 95.7% for ZIKV, DENV and CHIKV respectively. No cross reaction and no PCR inhibition were observed for any of the clinical samples. This test can thus be used as a rapid molecular assay for ZIKV, DENV1-4 and CHIKV infections.

Keywords: Chikungunya; Dengue; Molecular; Multiplex; PCR; Zika.

MeSH terms

  • Chikungunya Fever / diagnosis
  • Chikungunya virus / genetics*
  • Dengue / diagnosis
  • Dengue Virus / genetics*
  • Genes, Viral
  • Humans
  • Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction* / methods
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction* / methods
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Zika Virus / genetics*
  • Zika Virus Infection / diagnosis